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Magic and Romance #2
The Fake Divination Offense
Orok Half-giant. Rawball defensive tank on the Philadelphia Hellhounds. Follower of Urzoth...only Orok’s tired of following the god of aggression.
Alexo Cheerleader. Human? A dancer with a stadium’s worth of secrets.
When Orok saves Alexo at a bar, fans go feral for the star athlete protecting the pint-size dude-in-distress. The Hellhounds propose that Orok and Alexo start a PR relationship to put a positive spin on Orok’s god. Orok is set to refuse and renounce Urzoth—but that wouldn’t let him see Alexo again.
So, like a sap, he agrees.
As Orok tries to drop the fake part of their fake-relationship, Alexo’s dangerous truths emerge. To save him, Orok will have to sacrifice far more than his divine association.
Alexo Cheerleader. Human? A dancer with a stadium’s worth of secrets.
When Orok saves Alexo at a bar, fans go feral for the star athlete protecting the pint-size dude-in-distress. The Hellhounds propose that Orok and Alexo start a PR relationship to put a positive spin on Orok’s god. Orok is set to refuse and renounce Urzoth—but that wouldn’t let him see Alexo again.
So, like a sap, he agrees.
As Orok tries to drop the fake part of their fake-relationship, Alexo’s dangerous truths emerge. To save him, Orok will have to sacrifice far more than his divine association.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2026
About the author
Sara Raasch
23 books7,826 followersSara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. Her debut YA fantasy, SNOW LIKE ASHES, the first in a trilogy, came out October 14, 2014 from Balzer + Bray. It does not feature her hand-drawn pictures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
Did Not Finish
May 9, 2026Yeahhh no. Dnf at 30%.
I’m genuinely disappointed because I LOVED book 1 in this series! But tell me why Orok (the MC) was so obsessed with a man that he never so much as had a proper conversation with—even 30% of the way in!! Also, why is he so damn angry??
I was hoping for a cute fake-dating sports romance with plenty of spice. Instead, the MC, Orok, keeps giving me the ick. Their fake relationship makes ZERO sense. Also, the fake dating “dates” haven’t even happened on the page for the readers but were mentioned in passing?? Wtf!? The MC himself reads as a repetitive, angry person. He growls and acts closed off but internally whines all through the first third of this book.
Why he feels a sense of ownership toward Alexo, I have absolutely no clue. These two DON’T EVEN SPEAK. I can’t tell you a single thing about Alexo (the MMC) other than that Orok ogled him in a slimy way that made my nose wrinkle when he was in his booty shorts cheerleading uniform. 😑
Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio. What a shame because I really was looking forward to loving this, but it’s a no from me, dawg.
━━━━ ⊱⋆⊰ ━━━━
Book 1's review here:
The Entanglement of Rival Wizards
I’m genuinely disappointed because I LOVED book 1 in this series! But tell me why Orok (the MC) was so obsessed with a man that he never so much as had a proper conversation with—even 30% of the way in!! Also, why is he so damn angry??
I was hoping for a cute fake-dating sports romance with plenty of spice. Instead, the MC, Orok, keeps giving me the ick. Their fake relationship makes ZERO sense. Also, the fake dating “dates” haven’t even happened on the page for the readers but were mentioned in passing?? Wtf!? The MC himself reads as a repetitive, angry person. He growls and acts closed off but internally whines all through the first third of this book.
Why he feels a sense of ownership toward Alexo, I have absolutely no clue. These two DON’T EVEN SPEAK. I can’t tell you a single thing about Alexo (the MMC) other than that Orok ogled him in a slimy way that made my nose wrinkle when he was in his booty shorts cheerleading uniform. 😑
Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio. What a shame because I really was looking forward to loving this, but it’s a no from me, dawg.
━━━━ ⊱⋆⊰ ━━━━
Book 1's review here:
The Entanglement of Rival Wizards
December 19, 2025
I’m… devastated. I hate reviewing ARCs so poorly. This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026. Orok getting his own book was supposed to be AMAZING, not… whatever happened here.
I think I started grimacing 7% of the way in, and never stopped. It never got better, just got a whoooole lot worse. I don’t even know what could have saved this book aside from a full rewrite. Something where the mc isn’t literally growling and repeating his italicized “mine” over and over just 10% into the book. The characters are so flat it was embarrassing to read. The love interest’s story felt VERY cheaply reminiscent of another book/character, but failed to deliver any of the emotional weight it needed. Everything was just a mess. I’m a mess. I set everything aside to read this and it was so bad I don’t even know if I can follow it up with anything else. Sara Raasch is (was?) an auto-read author for me but if I’d read this before any others, I don’t think I’d ever pick up another of her books.
I think I started grimacing 7% of the way in, and never stopped. It never got better, just got a whoooole lot worse. I don’t even know what could have saved this book aside from a full rewrite. Something where the mc isn’t literally growling and repeating his italicized “mine” over and over just 10% into the book. The characters are so flat it was embarrassing to read. The love interest’s story felt VERY cheaply reminiscent of another book/character, but failed to deliver any of the emotional weight it needed. Everything was just a mess. I’m a mess. I set everything aside to read this and it was so bad I don’t even know if I can follow it up with anything else. Sara Raasch is (was?) an auto-read author for me but if I’d read this before any others, I don’t think I’d ever pick up another of her books.
March 12, 2026
Sara Raasch I fear you've lost me with this one. I unfortunately have no idea what this book was trying to be. It's a sports romance where hardly any sports actually happen. The stakes are way too high for this to be a typical rom com (with the whole demonic human sacrifice cult subplot) but also every problem was so easily solved or glossed over that you can't really call this action/thriller either.
We spent a decent portion of the book building up some future face-off between Orok and his former teammates in the playoffs. But then that team didn't even make the playoffs. A random team never mentioned before does. Okay, we'll just leave that unresolved. Surely, though, there will be some consequences for Orok being late to the playoffs for plot reasons, right? No! They actually won off-page! Life is good. Okay, but you may ask: Orok spends most of the book agonizing over leaving his religion. Surely there's some satisfying tension and resolution followed by catharsis with this major part of his character, correct? That's generally how storytelling works, yes? Nah, he just said no more god and his overzealous religious parents were immediately and uncharacteristically okay with it. What is the point!!!!!
Two stars for these issues alone. Other personal gripes I had that don't impact my rating but that I want to bring up:
1. I hated Orok and Bel together. What in the TikTok billionaire boyfriend was this? This is the closest an author can come to reinventing the omegaverse without impregnating someone.
2. The karaoke. God!!!!! Stop singing!!!! You're telling me young gay people in 2026 unironically sang Journey, Taylor Swift, and a heartfelt duet of My Heart Will Go On? Be so incredibly serious with me I know there's a deeply heterosexual millennial under that Scooby Doo cartoon villain mask you CANNOT do this to me.
We spent a decent portion of the book building up some future face-off between Orok and his former teammates in the playoffs. But then that team didn't even make the playoffs. A random team never mentioned before does. Okay, we'll just leave that unresolved. Surely, though, there will be some consequences for Orok being late to the playoffs for plot reasons, right? No! They actually won off-page! Life is good. Okay, but you may ask: Orok spends most of the book agonizing over leaving his religion. Surely there's some satisfying tension and resolution followed by catharsis with this major part of his character, correct? That's generally how storytelling works, yes? Nah, he just said no more god and his overzealous religious parents were immediately and uncharacteristically okay with it. What is the point!!!!!
Two stars for these issues alone. Other personal gripes I had that don't impact my rating but that I want to bring up:
1. I hated Orok and Bel together. What in the TikTok billionaire boyfriend was this? This is the closest an author can come to reinventing the omegaverse without impregnating someone.
2. The karaoke. God!!!!! Stop singing!!!! You're telling me young gay people in 2026 unironically sang Journey, Taylor Swift, and a heartfelt duet of My Heart Will Go On? Be so incredibly serious with me I know there's a deeply heterosexual millennial under that Scooby Doo cartoon villain mask you CANNOT do this to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2026
Once again very cute, very sweet, very sexy. Some parts of the story started to feel a little bit too over the top as it went on. But overall this is exactly what I wanted: a funny, entertaining fantasy romcom. I do prefer the first book but only because it’s a set up/relationship dynamic that’s I prefer.
Full review to come closer to release date (because apparently I only read my ARCs super early or super late)
Full review to come closer to release date (because apparently I only read my ARCs super early or super late)
May 19, 2026
i'm REALLY sad that i didn't like this! the first book was so good - the plot was plotting, the tension was tensioning, it was both fun and sweet.
however, this one is really boring. the relationship is very much love at first sight, and the tension feels manufactured. there's plot in here, but it failed to grip my attention enough for me to care. because both the plot and the romance felt boring/lackluster to me, i didn't enjoy this one much.
however, extra star goes to the seb and thio moments.
**thank you to Bramble for the ARC copy**
however, this one is really boring. the relationship is very much love at first sight, and the tension feels manufactured. there's plot in here, but it failed to grip my attention enough for me to care. because both the plot and the romance felt boring/lackluster to me, i didn't enjoy this one much.
however, extra star goes to the seb and thio moments.
**thank you to Bramble for the ARC copy**
Read
May 1, 2026Gay sports romance but make it fantasy! This was a fun, often frothy gay romance set in a magical world with a very protective and somewhat possessive athlete and the cute cheerleader he falls head over heels for. This has some ties to book 1 in the series and gets into some of the trauma both characters have in their past. Their relationship begins as a PR stunt but quickly turns real. It's sexy, sometimes silly, but also heartfelt. The audio narration is great! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
November 12, 2025
3.5/5 stars
(I rounded it up, though)
Thank you to TOR/Bramble for allowing me to read this book so far in advance in trade for an honest review.
I have to be honest and say that this is, regretably, my least favorite of her adult books so far. I found the discussion of religious deconstruction rather interesting, but it fundamentally gets lost behind a lot of the bells and whistles of the story for me. It was just a little bit all over the place if I am being transparent. I think it tried to tackle just a little bit too much for a "rom-com".
I will also be honest and share that this particular flavor of...erm... sexual dynamics isn't one that I am a fan of personally. That doesn't make it BAD, it just makes it to where it wasn't for me and made a lot of the book somewhat hard to get through. Just not my preferred dynamic. If you're into what's going on here, you'll probably love it. I am just not big on the whole "possessive manly man protects small feminine twink/size difference" thing.
Also, she definitely explains what Rawball is and how it works, but I still absolutely have no clue. I tried my best, okay? I just don't think I am meant to understand sports, fantasy or not. I thought I had a chance at it due to my understanding of D&D... but I've got nothing. Maybe one day I will get it.
Overall, it was mostly enjoyable. There are some AMAZING jokes in this and I enjoyed the cameos from Seb and Thio a ton!
(I rounded it up, though)
Thank you to TOR/Bramble for allowing me to read this book so far in advance in trade for an honest review.
I have to be honest and say that this is, regretably, my least favorite of her adult books so far. I found the discussion of religious deconstruction rather interesting, but it fundamentally gets lost behind a lot of the bells and whistles of the story for me. It was just a little bit all over the place if I am being transparent. I think it tried to tackle just a little bit too much for a "rom-com".
I will also be honest and share that this particular flavor of...erm... sexual dynamics isn't one that I am a fan of personally. That doesn't make it BAD, it just makes it to where it wasn't for me and made a lot of the book somewhat hard to get through. Just not my preferred dynamic. If you're into what's going on here, you'll probably love it. I am just not big on the whole "possessive manly man protects small feminine twink/size difference" thing.
Also, she definitely explains what Rawball is and how it works, but I still absolutely have no clue. I tried my best, okay? I just don't think I am meant to understand sports, fantasy or not. I thought I had a chance at it due to my understanding of D&D... but I've got nothing. Maybe one day I will get it.
Overall, it was mostly enjoyable. There are some AMAZING jokes in this and I enjoyed the cameos from Seb and Thio a ton!
Currently Reading
May 20, 2026If you hear me screaming, I promise it's from excitement
May 9, 2026
First of all, thank you to Tor and Bramble for the opportunity to read this book so early 🥹 This was perfection.
Osric deserves literally everything good in this world, and it was so powerful to be able to experience all of his emotions, insecurities, and hesitation from his POV. He is a character that exudes strength, and it was such a juxtaposition to hear what is happening in his brain. It also made me think about how people can perceive interactions, due to insecurities and the way people think they’re coming across vs. how they actually come across.
I truly loved the way she portrayed religion in this one. As someone who has my fair share of religious trauma for growing up in a church, I think she really nailed how much guilt you can have surrounding just wanting to follow your own way and move forward. But also having to appear a certain way for reasons that aren’t necessarily right.
ALSO. The way she got into the actual fundamentals of Rawball was a masterpiece. I can really tell that this was FUN for the author to write, because it was incredible to read. Boooo Chimeras!!!
Thank you again! This was incredible.
Osric deserves literally everything good in this world, and it was so powerful to be able to experience all of his emotions, insecurities, and hesitation from his POV. He is a character that exudes strength, and it was such a juxtaposition to hear what is happening in his brain. It also made me think about how people can perceive interactions, due to insecurities and the way people think they’re coming across vs. how they actually come across.
I truly loved the way she portrayed religion in this one. As someone who has my fair share of religious trauma for growing up in a church, I think she really nailed how much guilt you can have surrounding just wanting to follow your own way and move forward. But also having to appear a certain way for reasons that aren’t necessarily right.
ALSO. The way she got into the actual fundamentals of Rawball was a masterpiece. I can really tell that this was FUN for the author to write, because it was incredible to read. Boooo Chimeras!!!
Thank you again! This was incredible.
May 19, 2026
If you enjoy:
🌈 one man who looks like he could bench-press a carriage but is secretly a cinnamon roll
🌈 one tiny menace with enough sass to level an empire
🌈 “touch him and die” energy so intense it should be classified as a weapon
🌈 and a romance so swoony it made me kick my feet like a Victorian maiden with zero survival instincts
then congratulations, this book was specifically crafted to ruin your life 🙂↕️
First of all, the gentle giant/feral pocket-sized disaster dynamic? Elite. Utterly unmatched. One of them could crush a wall with his bare hands, and the other could destroy a person with a single cutting remark and perfectly arched eyebrow. Together, they are my favorite flavor of chaos 👏🏼
And the protective energy? OBSESSED. The “touch him and die” vibes were so strong that I half expected someone to get vaporized on the spot for breathing too close. Nothing says romance like staring at your beloved as though you’re ready to commit several felonies in his honor.
But beneath all the banter, flirting, and mutual yearning that had me screaming into a pillow, this story has so much heart. I loved the exploration of what happens when you’ve spent your entire life performing the version of yourself that your religion, family, and society demanded, only to realize that maybe, just maybe, those expectations were never yours to carry in the first place. The character growth? Stunning. The emotional payoff? Absolutely delicious.
And the romance? Dear lord. The chemistry was so potent I could feel it through the pages. Tender, funny, and deeply romantic in that “I would destroy the world but also gently hold your hand” kind of way. But also show you the BEST time behind closed doors 😏 I love them. I love them so much.
Also, seeing more of Thio and Sebastian felt like running into your two favorite chaotic friends at brunch and immediately demanding all the gossip. Yay for these two nuggets!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be over here swooning, sobbing, and threatening anyone who dares touch these characters 💅🏼📚🔮
And forever thankful to Bramble for the gifted arc 🥹🥹🥹
🌈 one man who looks like he could bench-press a carriage but is secretly a cinnamon roll
🌈 one tiny menace with enough sass to level an empire
🌈 “touch him and die” energy so intense it should be classified as a weapon
🌈 and a romance so swoony it made me kick my feet like a Victorian maiden with zero survival instincts
then congratulations, this book was specifically crafted to ruin your life 🙂↕️
First of all, the gentle giant/feral pocket-sized disaster dynamic? Elite. Utterly unmatched. One of them could crush a wall with his bare hands, and the other could destroy a person with a single cutting remark and perfectly arched eyebrow. Together, they are my favorite flavor of chaos 👏🏼
And the protective energy? OBSESSED. The “touch him and die” vibes were so strong that I half expected someone to get vaporized on the spot for breathing too close. Nothing says romance like staring at your beloved as though you’re ready to commit several felonies in his honor.
But beneath all the banter, flirting, and mutual yearning that had me screaming into a pillow, this story has so much heart. I loved the exploration of what happens when you’ve spent your entire life performing the version of yourself that your religion, family, and society demanded, only to realize that maybe, just maybe, those expectations were never yours to carry in the first place. The character growth? Stunning. The emotional payoff? Absolutely delicious.
And the romance? Dear lord. The chemistry was so potent I could feel it through the pages. Tender, funny, and deeply romantic in that “I would destroy the world but also gently hold your hand” kind of way. But also show you the BEST time behind closed doors 😏 I love them. I love them so much.
Also, seeing more of Thio and Sebastian felt like running into your two favorite chaotic friends at brunch and immediately demanding all the gossip. Yay for these two nuggets!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be over here swooning, sobbing, and threatening anyone who dares touch these characters 💅🏼📚🔮
And forever thankful to Bramble for the gifted arc 🥹🥹🥹
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
the longest sigh in the world. okay, I think four books is enough, that's enough Sara Raasch for me.
when you think about how in the first Christmas Prince book, she wouldn't even say the word dick during the sex scenes, and how we've come (hehehe) so far, though? inspirational. growth. love to see it.
"Just a pile of rocks on the stage while the instrumentals for 'Sweet Caroline' play on" made me laugh aloud pretty hard.
when you think about how in the first Christmas Prince book, she wouldn't even say the word dick during the sex scenes, and how we've come (hehehe) so far, though? inspirational. growth. love to see it.
"Just a pile of rocks on the stage while the instrumentals for 'Sweet Caroline' play on" made me laugh aloud pretty hard.
April 29, 2026
ARC from Macmillan audio
Release: May 19th 2026
Omg this was such a fun, kinky and hilarious MM romance with dashes of fantasy. I ate this up ! love my Beauty and Beast duo they were so hot together 🤪❤️🔥📚
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release: May 19th 2026
Omg this was such a fun, kinky and hilarious MM romance with dashes of fantasy. I ate this up ! love my Beauty and Beast duo they were so hot together 🤪❤️🔥📚
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Want to Read
August 21, 2025One of the MMCs is a cheerleader? Omg yes!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Soft DNF at 48%, solely due to the narrator. I listen to so many audiobooks and rarely run into this but this narrator is doing too much and it makes it really hard to connect with the story. The first spicy scene made me uncomfortable with some of the choices the narrator made-- I really wanna know what happens though so I'll have to eyeball read this when it comes out.
I also want to add that the way the narrator does characters from the previous book (mainly Seb) feels so far from the Seb of The Entanglement of Rival Wizards' audiobook that it really annoyed me because I loved that book.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC!
I also want to add that the way the narrator does characters from the previous book (mainly Seb) feels so far from the Seb of The Entanglement of Rival Wizards' audiobook that it really annoyed me because I loved that book.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC!
Read
March 25, 2026Unfortunately this second installment of this series really didn’t work for me. I caught myself mostly skimming, so soft dnfing for now.
The first book was so fun and freaking hilarious? I feel like I’m doubting my entire experience of book 1 now bc this felt too saccharine and from what I read, not nearly as funny. The romance was also very insta adoration. Probably because the MMC is working through some things but it just wasn’t compelling to me. The whole set up of book 1 was also much angstier. The meet cute here is though karaoke… I got le ick. :(
This was a bummer, highly anticipated one for me.
The first book was so fun and freaking hilarious? I feel like I’m doubting my entire experience of book 1 now bc this felt too saccharine and from what I read, not nearly as funny. The romance was also very insta adoration. Probably because the MMC is working through some things but it just wasn’t compelling to me. The whole set up of book 1 was also much angstier. The meet cute here is though karaoke… I got le ick. :(
This was a bummer, highly anticipated one for me.
April 29, 2026
Very sad to say that this book just did not land for me. I absolutely loved book 1, this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026, but it fell completely flat for me.
I personally could not stand Oroks inner monologue. It was cringey, repetitive and hard to follow. The story felt way too heavy and out of pocket. I genuinely can’t believe this is the sequel to Rival Wizards, the tone and the writing just felt soooo different. Sad to say this just gave me the ick.
I personally could not stand Oroks inner monologue. It was cringey, repetitive and hard to follow. The story felt way too heavy and out of pocket. I genuinely can’t believe this is the sequel to Rival Wizards, the tone and the writing just felt soooo different. Sad to say this just gave me the ick.
Want to Read
September 30, 2025This was an absolute blast to read.
May 12, 2026
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc in exchange for my honest review!
This was so fun and SPICY!
Plot:
Orok is so over his god he has been worshipping since childhood because he doesn’t want to subscribe the violent nature they endorse. With this heavy religious weight on his shoulders, he is also balancing some major trauma from a childhood experience, which then triggered some trauma bonding with his best friend. Now he has some possession issues. Queue the most stunning man Orok has ever seen, Alexo. He is on the cheerleading team for Orok’s new team this season and he has hypnotized him. The thing is, something isn’t quite right with Alexo’s life circumstances. Orok enters a PR stunt/fake dating scenario to help protect Alexo, but he actually really likes the guy! And he starts uncovering some of Alexo’s past and present struggles.
Thoughts:
While I had a blast, I don’t think I connected with the story in this one as much as the first one. I still think all the story was woven together well and it was very engaging. What truly captured me though was the intimacy or sex scenes! They were so spicy with some fun magical creature body parts in play! These scenes were also made so good by the narrator who had a range of different voices and an amazing gravely low voice when it was time haha
Great sequel! Very much recommend!!
This was so fun and SPICY!
Plot:
Orok is so over his god he has been worshipping since childhood because he doesn’t want to subscribe the violent nature they endorse. With this heavy religious weight on his shoulders, he is also balancing some major trauma from a childhood experience, which then triggered some trauma bonding with his best friend. Now he has some possession issues. Queue the most stunning man Orok has ever seen, Alexo. He is on the cheerleading team for Orok’s new team this season and he has hypnotized him. The thing is, something isn’t quite right with Alexo’s life circumstances. Orok enters a PR stunt/fake dating scenario to help protect Alexo, but he actually really likes the guy! And he starts uncovering some of Alexo’s past and present struggles.
Thoughts:
While I had a blast, I don’t think I connected with the story in this one as much as the first one. I still think all the story was woven together well and it was very engaging. What truly captured me though was the intimacy or sex scenes! They were so spicy with some fun magical creature body parts in play! These scenes were also made so good by the narrator who had a range of different voices and an amazing gravely low voice when it was time haha
Great sequel! Very much recommend!!
May 19, 2026
I really enjoy Sara Raasch's style of writing, it's very simple and modern but it's always fun and something about the language just works for me. This wasn't as good as her others in my opinion, but I still enjoyed it a lot. I like the topic of growing and realizing that what you believed in is not something you can stand for anymore.
I love how Seb and Thio were present throughout the whole book, I don't feel for this couple a faction of how I feel for them. One of my favorite things of entanglement was Seb and Orok's friendship and this book expanded on that, so that was nice.
I have a feeling there will be a next book that will focus a lot more on the hellhounds and if I'm right I think I'll like it very much.
I love how Seb and Thio were present throughout the whole book, I don't feel for this couple a faction of how I feel for them. One of my favorite things of entanglement was Seb and Orok's friendship and this book expanded on that, so that was nice.
I have a feeling there will be a next book that will focus a lot more on the hellhounds and if I'm right I think I'll like it very much.
May 8, 2026
If you’re a fan of this author you will love this title too. Just go ahead and pre-order it.
If you are an audiobook listener, even better. Scorching love scenes, sweet damaged babies too scared to admit they’re in love, and the signature wit of Sara Raasch. The narrator also did a great job of making each character have their own voice and given there are monsters in this book it was quite the feat, and also very very entertaining.
It was everything I wanted and more.
If you are an audiobook listener, even better. Scorching love scenes, sweet damaged babies too scared to admit they’re in love, and the signature wit of Sara Raasch. The narrator also did a great job of making each character have their own voice and given there are monsters in this book it was quite the feat, and also very very entertaining.
It was everything I wanted and more.
May 14, 2026
Special thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and Sara Raasch for an audio advanced copy of The Fake Divination Offense!
This audiobook was a great sequel in Raasch's A Magic & Romance Novel following book one, The Entanglement of Rival Wizards. Vikas Adam was the single narrator of the book who gave life and depth to each of the characters in the storyline all with pacing that I felt was very easy to enjoy and follow. Raasch was able to tackle some very complex themes from past trauma, mental health, strained family relationships and difficulties with religion while still bringing laughs, spice and light heartedness to deliver a well rounded plot.
Note for LitRPG fans, there is a sports news caster who has great Zev energy from DCC!
This audiobook was a great sequel in Raasch's A Magic & Romance Novel following book one, The Entanglement of Rival Wizards. Vikas Adam was the single narrator of the book who gave life and depth to each of the characters in the storyline all with pacing that I felt was very easy to enjoy and follow. Raasch was able to tackle some very complex themes from past trauma, mental health, strained family relationships and difficulties with religion while still bringing laughs, spice and light heartedness to deliver a well rounded plot.
Note for LitRPG fans, there is a sports news caster who has great Zev energy from DCC!
October 11, 2025
Definitely my least fav of her books I’ve read so far. But I was SO relieved to read a romance with no “enemies to lovers” plot. Still an auto-buy/read author for me!
May 19, 2026
my chest hurts i loved this so much
review:
Thank you to Bramble for the advanced copy! All thoughts are my own.
I knew Orok’s book was going to wreck me and it suuuure did! I was in love with this gentle giant in Seb’s book and I had been so curious on where he was in his journey in regards to their shared trauma.
He exudes strength and masculinity but he has worked so hard on himself to not use his size and stature to threaten or push people around like people expect him to. There was also such an interesting take on religion and how the guilt from separating yourself from what you’ve always known can manifest and affect us in our daily lives as adults.
I am OBSESSED with the dynamic between Alexo and Orok and particularly Alexo’s background. There’s so much to him and I loved how these two are just so so so down for each other and protecting each other from the world around them.
Also this sports world, despite it being a fantasy sport, was really fun to read! I have no idea how this game works but I wish I could go to a Hellhounds game. The team becoming Orok’s found family gave me the warm and fuzzies.
I devoured this in a day and I’m sure others will too. This duology is fantastic and I already can’t wait for Sara’s next one.
review:
Thank you to Bramble for the advanced copy! All thoughts are my own.
I knew Orok’s book was going to wreck me and it suuuure did! I was in love with this gentle giant in Seb’s book and I had been so curious on where he was in his journey in regards to their shared trauma.
He exudes strength and masculinity but he has worked so hard on himself to not use his size and stature to threaten or push people around like people expect him to. There was also such an interesting take on religion and how the guilt from separating yourself from what you’ve always known can manifest and affect us in our daily lives as adults.
I am OBSESSED with the dynamic between Alexo and Orok and particularly Alexo’s background. There’s so much to him and I loved how these two are just so so so down for each other and protecting each other from the world around them.
Also this sports world, despite it being a fantasy sport, was really fun to read! I have no idea how this game works but I wish I could go to a Hellhounds game. The team becoming Orok’s found family gave me the warm and fuzzies.
I devoured this in a day and I’m sure others will too. This duology is fantastic and I already can’t wait for Sara’s next one.
May 11, 2026
Thank you to Edelweiss and NetGalley for the early access to this book and audiobook! I love Raasch’s recent slew of MM romances, and this did not disappoint!
In the follow up to The Entanglement of Rival Wizards we follow Orok, a half-giant professional raw ball player as he is forced to enter a PR relationship with one of the team’s cheerleaders, Alexo. But of course nothing is as it seems from the very beginning.
As the story progresses we see the pair develop genuine feelings for one another, as they deal with the secrets that could make or break the both of them.
Orok and Alexo are a perfect sequel to Sebastian and Thio from The Entanglement of Rival Wizards. It’s always lovely to see characters from past books popping up into the new story in the same universe, and that’s something that Raasch excels at.
Please, please, please go pick this up when it comes out, you won’t be disappointed!
In the follow up to The Entanglement of Rival Wizards we follow Orok, a half-giant professional raw ball player as he is forced to enter a PR relationship with one of the team’s cheerleaders, Alexo. But of course nothing is as it seems from the very beginning.
As the story progresses we see the pair develop genuine feelings for one another, as they deal with the secrets that could make or break the both of them.
Orok and Alexo are a perfect sequel to Sebastian and Thio from The Entanglement of Rival Wizards. It’s always lovely to see characters from past books popping up into the new story in the same universe, and that’s something that Raasch excels at.
Please, please, please go pick this up when it comes out, you won’t be disappointed!
January 26, 2026
A worthy sequel to The Entanglement of Rival Wizards. Orok is reeling from big changes in his life: the end of a successful lawsuit against the teen military camp that nearly destroyed him and his best friend, Seb, and moving back to play professional rawball for the Philadelphia Hellhounds, putting him closer to friends he’s been avoiding. His night of celebration goes viral when he steps in to defend gorgeous Hellhounds cheerleader, Alexo, from an aggressor. Suddenly he’s in a PR relationship while trying not to become overwhelmed by his possessive feelings toward this spirited but troubled man.
Sara Raasch addiction is real, and I’ve got it bad.
Sara Raasch addiction is real, and I’ve got it bad.
May 18, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Bramble, and Tor Publishing Group for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Fake Divination Offense on May 19, 2026.
This pains me because I've loved Sara Raasch's books in the past, but unfortunately, this was a miss for me. After finishing The Entanglement of Rival Wizards, I was excited to see Orok's story play out, especially given how his and Seb's lives changed at the end of the first book. They survived a traumatic experience together, worked through that trauma co-dependently for several years, and now finally pursued some space and separation for their own well-being.
One of the things I really appreciated about this story was the handling of men's mental health and religious deconstruction. Orok, raised in the Church of Urzoth, was taught that he could never show weakness, physically or emotionally. But some experiences can't be overcome with physical strength, and the pressure of the church and its members ended up worsening Orok's mental health. But he goes to therapy, recognizes when he's falling into bad habits or problematic behaviors, and works to heal over the course of the book.
That being said, meeting Alexo, our love interest, immediately rekindles some of those trauma responses (overprotectiveness and possession). From the first chapter, we see Orok become obsessed with this man (who we know nothing about), enter into a fake PR relationship with him, and bend over backwards to make Alexo's life better.
I know many a reader who enjoys an obsessed MMC or protagonist, but for me, it screams instalove or instalust. Even as Alexo and Orok spent more time together, it still never really felt like we got to KNOW him intimately, or see them share emotionally intimate moments on the page. And part of that could be because we're only ever in Orok's head, so our perception is wildly skewed because Orok is overly obsessed with him from the get-go (especially in a physical sense). It was hard to buy into their relationship when we never really see WHY Orok loves him/obsesses over him so much.
The spice wasn't bad, but there's a moment where Orok picks out a pet name for Alexo that COMPLETELY took me out of the story. And seeing how that pet name eventually becomes a plot point later on in the book was... wild. Again, some readers might eat that up, but for me, it was an absolute miss.
If you're looking for an MM sports fake dating romantasy with doses of detangling mental health problems and obsessing over the love interest, this might be the book for you! But personally, it wasn't my favorite among the ones I've read by this author.
This pains me because I've loved Sara Raasch's books in the past, but unfortunately, this was a miss for me. After finishing The Entanglement of Rival Wizards, I was excited to see Orok's story play out, especially given how his and Seb's lives changed at the end of the first book. They survived a traumatic experience together, worked through that trauma co-dependently for several years, and now finally pursued some space and separation for their own well-being.
One of the things I really appreciated about this story was the handling of men's mental health and religious deconstruction. Orok, raised in the Church of Urzoth, was taught that he could never show weakness, physically or emotionally. But some experiences can't be overcome with physical strength, and the pressure of the church and its members ended up worsening Orok's mental health. But he goes to therapy, recognizes when he's falling into bad habits or problematic behaviors, and works to heal over the course of the book.
That being said, meeting Alexo, our love interest, immediately rekindles some of those trauma responses (overprotectiveness and possession). From the first chapter, we see Orok become obsessed with this man (who we know nothing about), enter into a fake PR relationship with him, and bend over backwards to make Alexo's life better.
I know many a reader who enjoys an obsessed MMC or protagonist, but for me, it screams instalove or instalust. Even as Alexo and Orok spent more time together, it still never really felt like we got to KNOW him intimately, or see them share emotionally intimate moments on the page. And part of that could be because we're only ever in Orok's head, so our perception is wildly skewed because Orok is overly obsessed with him from the get-go (especially in a physical sense). It was hard to buy into their relationship when we never really see WHY Orok loves him/obsesses over him so much.
The spice wasn't bad, but there's a moment where Orok picks out a pet name for Alexo that COMPLETELY took me out of the story. And seeing how that pet name eventually becomes a plot point later on in the book was... wild. Again, some readers might eat that up, but for me, it was an absolute miss.
If you're looking for an MM sports fake dating romantasy with doses of detangling mental health problems and obsessing over the love interest, this might be the book for you! But personally, it wasn't my favorite among the ones I've read by this author.
February 28, 2026
------4.5 ⭐️------
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
____
The Fake Divination Offense, starring Orok (the biggest pookie alive) and bright, sparkly Alexo, was exactly what I needed. It gave me everything I hoped ‘Tough Guy’ would deliver, but way way better.
What I love most about these books is how open and tender all of the relationships between the main characters are. There's no internalized (or outward) homophobia or misogyny, and the conversations (specifically between Seb--my beloved--and Orok--my other beloved--are as honest and vulnerable as they come.
I loved that this book took the time to explore Orok's side of the trauma that he and Seb endured together. I loved that the pain that he went through wasn't the focal point of his story, but context to his actions and his mindset. (Hey Orok! You are! The BPD posterchild!)
One thing that I seek more and more is queer stories where suffering isn't the plot, nor is it the endgame. Sometimes we just want a cozy, low(ER) stakes story that doesn't spike your cortisol every time you open the book, and this was that for me.
I will say, the "twists" in this book felt incredibly predictable to me, but not in such a way that it ruined the story for me--just pattern recognition, I think.
I also think this book could use another sweep from an editor, as I noticed some minor typos in there (but we are human! And typos are sneaky bastards), and I don't know if it's just that I was reading it on my phone or what, but the formatting was a little funky to me as well.
Sara Raasch, you have done it again! Please keep writing things like these! They spark so much joy!!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
____
The Fake Divination Offense, starring Orok (the biggest pookie alive) and bright, sparkly Alexo, was exactly what I needed. It gave me everything I hoped ‘Tough Guy’ would deliver, but way way better.
What I love most about these books is how open and tender all of the relationships between the main characters are. There's no internalized (or outward) homophobia or misogyny, and the conversations (specifically between Seb--my beloved--and Orok--my other beloved--are as honest and vulnerable as they come.
I loved that this book took the time to explore Orok's side of the trauma that he and Seb endured together. I loved that the pain that he went through wasn't the focal point of his story, but context to his actions and his mindset. (Hey Orok! You are! The BPD posterchild!)
One thing that I seek more and more is queer stories where suffering isn't the plot, nor is it the endgame. Sometimes we just want a cozy, low(ER) stakes story that doesn't spike your cortisol every time you open the book, and this was that for me.
I will say, the "twists" in this book felt incredibly predictable to me, but not in such a way that it ruined the story for me--just pattern recognition, I think.
I also think this book could use another sweep from an editor, as I noticed some minor typos in there (but we are human! And typos are sneaky bastards), and I don't know if it's just that I was reading it on my phone or what, but the formatting was a little funky to me as well.
Sara Raasch, you have done it again! Please keep writing things like these! They spark so much joy!!
May 10, 2026
I’m somewhere between a 4 and a 5!
Thank you Mac audio for the ALC of this one! I think I liked book one a tiny bit more. Mostly because I had a hard time with Orok being a bit unlikeable? I don’t really know how to explain it because I love him, but the insta love and self deprecating attitude was a bit hard at times for me.
Okay - so book two follows Orok a professional sports ball player (it has a name but like most sports it’s not my fav part of sports romances) and Orok gets traded back to his him team after surviving the court case with Sebastian and he’s been trying to put some distance and work on codependency and then the love of his life enters the room, a PR stunt unfolds, FAKE DATING (it’s fake for one hot second) and then a secret identity is revealed and everyone works on their trauma a lot.
I LOVED the exploration of religious trauma from multiple angles and thought this was done very well through worshiping (or not worshiping) the gods
The spice scenes in this book were amazing. On top of that I really loved seeing how hard Orok was working on himself even though I think sometimes in audio it overwhelmed me (I think our brains might be too similar). I ended up loving the relationship, the friendships, and all the little details that pulled this story together. Keep dancing.
Thank you Mac audio for the ALC of this one! I think I liked book one a tiny bit more. Mostly because I had a hard time with Orok being a bit unlikeable? I don’t really know how to explain it because I love him, but the insta love and self deprecating attitude was a bit hard at times for me.
Okay - so book two follows Orok a professional sports ball player (it has a name but like most sports it’s not my fav part of sports romances) and Orok gets traded back to his him team after surviving the court case with Sebastian and he’s been trying to put some distance and work on codependency and then the love of his life enters the room, a PR stunt unfolds, FAKE DATING (it’s fake for one hot second) and then a secret identity is revealed and everyone works on their trauma a lot.
I LOVED the exploration of religious trauma from multiple angles and thought this was done very well through worshiping (or not worshiping) the gods
The spice scenes in this book were amazing. On top of that I really loved seeing how hard Orok was working on himself even though I think sometimes in audio it overwhelmed me (I think our brains might be too similar). I ended up loving the relationship, the friendships, and all the little details that pulled this story together. Keep dancing.
May 4, 2026
At this point, if Sara Raasch writes it, I’m reading it. I’ve loved every release since The Nightmare Before Kissmas, and naturally, I loved this one too. Orok was such an interesting side character when we met him in The Entanglement of Rival Wizards, so it was incredibly exciting to see him get his own book. Orok and Alexo are so perfect for one another, and I loved watching their relationship unfold. Their chemistry was so intense you could feel it coming off the page. I love how Raasch balances the incredible romance with heavier topics like the religious trauma Orok is recovering from. His development journey was inspiring to read. Also, Alexo is just an absolute delight, but Alexo is also battling issues with a surprise or two of his own. The audiobook narration is an enjoyable way to consume this story. Vikas Adam nailed this story. Orok and Alexo had distinctly different voices (along with the other characters) making the story easy to follow. There was also plenty of emotion and heart reflected in the performance that made you want to keep listening to the story. Simply put, don’t sleep on this series.
eARC courtesy of Bramble Romance
ALC courtesy of Macmillan Audio
eARC courtesy of Bramble Romance
ALC courtesy of Macmillan Audio
April 2, 2026
After reading book one, I was excited to learn more about Orok and his story. Unfortunately, I felt like I still barely knew him by the end of the story, and it was all told from his POV. The reader knows about the abuse he survived and his dependence on being needed, so the author provided a tiny twink whose life is in danger to fill the gap.
There were some similarities to Rachel Reid’s “Tough Guy”, like how book one was very similar to “Love, Theoretically” by Ali Hazelwood. That wasn’t the issue, it was more in the pacing. The story should have been compelling, but was honestly quite boring. They don’t even try to come up with any kind of plan until the last 15% of the book.
I will say that the spice was creative and definitely hot. Orok and Bel have a lot of chemistry and when they unleash it, it’s electric. But on a more basic story telling note: what does Orok look like? What are the rules of Rawball? Why would Bel need to hide his pink skin when there are characters who are actual rocks? Some details were repeated so many times when other things just needed some basic explanations.
I think this story would have been better suited as a dual pov style narrative.
There were some similarities to Rachel Reid’s “Tough Guy”, like how book one was very similar to “Love, Theoretically” by Ali Hazelwood. That wasn’t the issue, it was more in the pacing. The story should have been compelling, but was honestly quite boring. They don’t even try to come up with any kind of plan until the last 15% of the book.
I will say that the spice was creative and definitely hot. Orok and Bel have a lot of chemistry and when they unleash it, it’s electric. But on a more basic story telling note: what does Orok look like? What are the rules of Rawball? Why would Bel need to hide his pink skin when there are characters who are actual rocks? Some details were repeated so many times when other things just needed some basic explanations.
I think this story would have been better suited as a dual pov style narrative.
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